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I have a Sony laptop with Windows 7, and recently purchased a new LCD monitor. I know it is supposed to be easy to use both monitors, but so far I have been unsuccessful. It seems like I can only duplicate, and not really extend the monitors, so I see the same on both screens. Also, when I try to close the lid on my laptop, the external monitor goes to sleep. I am obviously doing something wrong, but cannot figure out what it is. Thanks for any assistance you can provide.

I'm sorry, but that did not work. When I extend the display, I get a blank screen with the windows background but no icons on the external monitor, and all the icons are on the laptop monitor. I want to be able to use both monitors, having different views on each.

I'm sorry, but that did not work. When I extend the display, I get a blank screen with the windows background but no icons on the external monitor, and all the icons are on the laptop monitor. I want to be able to use both monitors, having different views on each.

Dear Linda, that is how extended desktop works! According to your description, all is fine and you have no issues.

Extended desktop means both displays are independent, showing different content as instructed by user. When first set up, the secondary display has nothing to show hence it's only showing the desktop background.

If you have selected Auto arrange icons (desktop context menu), all icons will be located to display 1 (laptop display by default); to place some of them to secondary display you have to first disable auto arrange.

You can freely move application, explorer and browser windows between displays and (subject to auto arrange being disabled) create shortcuts on both.

Thanks for the info, but I don't think I am being clear, or perhaps, I can't do what I envision. For instance, I want to have a website on one monitor, and a Word document on the other monitor. Should I be using something intead of extend displays? I have seen other people being able to open something, and then drag it from one monitor to another.

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